Month: August 2015

We’re sadly nearing the end of summer, so make the most of these last few weekends! For those of you who aren’t part of the massive exodus to BurningMan, we have compiled a list of the top events going on in our amazing city. We’re excited for the Treasure Island Flea Market and hoping to score some rare finds!

The Bluxome St. Winery invites you to come out for a night of live music and food & wine! They feature a new food truck each week that they pair with a sampling of their wines. Once you are done eating, enjoy a dance with the live band.

Have you always dreamed of being a chef , but never had the chance? MasterChef is coming to San Francisco for open casting calls! It’s free and all are welcome. Just register and come with a prepared meal. Good luck!

Saturday and Sunday, August 29th & 30th, 2015 | Ten a.m to Four| Ave. of the Palms, Treasure Island, SF| Tickets are $3 and can be purchased at the door

Bring your kids, dogs and friends out to the Treasure Island Flea Market this weekend and enjoy a day of shopping, food, drinks and music. Enjoy over 400 vendors and over 25 top rated eats. For more details click here.

Take a trip back to high school to enjoy the written words of Shakespeare preformed by SF Shakes. They will be telling the tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet for the first time since 1992. Bring a picnic and enjoy for free!

What will you be doing this weekend? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter and Facebook!

San Francisco is a beautiful city with so much to do! We love to spend our time exploring SF in ways we haven’t thought of before! ABCey has compiled some of our favorite unique and local tours, perfect for a girls night or date night. We hope someone wants to take us out on the Seaplane tour soon!

Explore some of the most famous neighborhoods and sights in San Francisco while riding a Segway! This tour will take you through Chinatown, Northbeach and the Waterfront while enjoying the moonlit views. Purchase tickets here.

Enjoy sips of vino while you sail over to Treasure Island. Once there, you can visit three wineries on a self guided tour. Enjoy as little or as much time as you like at each venue and then get back on the boat for the trip back to mainland. Purchase tickets here.

If you love being outdoors, hiking, and learning all about San Francisco’s rich history, this tour is for you. You can expect a five mile tour while exploring some hidden treasures and seeing some of the well know sights of SF. Dogs allowed! Purchase tickets here.

As their slogan states, this is “the cure for the common tour”. This car is equipped with a computer that talks to you. You can park and explore anywhere you’d like, and the tour continues when you continue to drive. Purchase tickets here.

See San Francisco like you never have before. Take off from the bay and fly around the famous attractions of The City. This flight is normally around 30 minutes and takes you by The Golden Gate Bridge, AT&T Park, Alcatraz and more! Purchase tickets here.

Which tour is on your to-do list?! Let us know in the comments below or Facebook and Twitter!

Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events!

Bannerman is an events service that allows businesses to book security guards on demand. With on-call security guards (trained to arrest, control crowds, and take action in an emergency) your event is sure to flow smoothly. Bannerman allows help within 30 minutes of a request and guarantees trust and safety as their main priority!

With the Bannerman app, booking is made easy in 3 steps. Simply type in the date and time of your needed service, select the number of guards, and place the location of your event.

At ABCey we love Bannerman because of their awesome features! Flat hourly rates are provided through the app so there is never a question on how much your security will cost. Free online signup and 24/7 customer service help cater to an event’s specific needs. In addition, background checks are available for businesses to ease the stress on booking the right guard!

The struggle to find security for your business conference or personal party is no more. With Bannerman, booking a reliable security guard for your event is fast and easy! Now available for download on the App Store. What do you think about this startup? Let us know with a comment or message us on Facebook or Twitter!

Whether you’re hosting a small get-together, big celebration, or just a night in, decisions about food can be difficult to make. Not to worry, we have a great list of apps to ease meal planning! From recipes, to restaurant suggestion,s to food delivery apps we’ve got you covered! We’re excited to try EatWith and their private chefs for our next dinner party!

ChefsFeed is the inside connection to the best dishes and food culture. They offers chefs a platform to engage with guests, featuring reviews from more than 1,000 chefs in 24 cities. Who doesn’t want the inside scoop from the chefs themselves? Users can read up to date reviews on food and restaurant reviews, check out chefs recommendations and search for reviews by chef, dish, cuisine or keywords.

GrubHub is an online and mobile food ordering company dedicated to connecting hungry diners with local takeout restaurants. You can order directly from approximately 35,000 takeout restaurants in more than 900 U.S. cities and London. If your hosting a get together, but don’t feel like cooking, just order in. With Grubhub, food for everyone is just a click away!

EatWith is a community marketplace offering authentic dining experiences in people’s homes in over 150 cities around the world. Through EatWith guests can not only connect with amazing hosts, and enjoy delicious homemade cuisine, but you can also hire a chef for your very own custom private event! You team up with a chef to create an intimate event and personalized menu your guests will not forget!

Yummly is the ultimate kitchen tool and recipe discovery app that combines beautiful pictures with recipes from around the web to make it easier for you cook, eat and share. You can filter recipes by the ingredients you have on hand, create different recipe boxes, and build shopping lists for the week based on the recipes you choose. It’s perfect if you’re hosting a dinner party and plan to cook!

Evernote is a great event planning tool we often talk about to stay organized, but there is also food version? Whether you’re organizing recipes, looking for a good place to eat, or just want to lifelog meals, Evernote Food is an ideal companion app. You can save recipes from the web just like Evernote, and so much more!

What food apps do you use? Let us know with a comments below or message us on Facebook and Twitter!

Tired of your same old party giveaways? Want to send your guests home with something unique and useful? ABCey Events has got you covered! Here are five fun and easy DIY mason jar party favors sure to end your parties right!

1. Care Package

Send your party goers home feeling cared for! Home essentials such as hand sanitizer, nail clipper, tissues, etc. can make for great care package favors! Make it a first aid kit or glam it up for the girls and add in mani/ pedi utensils!

2. Hot Chocolate Kit

You can never go wrong with hot chocolate favors! They’re appealing to the eye and easy to make and store away. Simply grab your favorite hot chocolate powder (we love Nestlé), layer peppermint candies, and top it all off with some mini marshmallows. Yum!

3. Flower Arrangement

If you’re looking for a classier mason jar idea, the flower arrangement is perfect for your event! Use a clear or colorful jar and let your creativity soar. Add in your favorite flowers (fake or real) and you have yourself a cute little favor and/or centerpiece!

4. Cookie Jar

Cookies are a great way to say thank you! Stack up your favorite store bought or homemade cookies in a jar and wrap a cute label or bow around the top. Send your guests home with a smile!

5. Tea Kit

Nothing is more heart warming than a jar of tea essentials. After a long party, who wouldn’t want to kick back and relax to a nice cup of tea? Package in a few tea bags, a cinnamon stick, and maybe even some honey!

What did you think of our mason jar party favors? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!

Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events!

Antlos is a yachting service that lets you enjoy all the fun of being at sea minus the hassle of buying a yacht or learning to sail! Antlos provides private trips around the coastline of several beautiful cities including Greece, Italy and Spain all at around $100/night per guest. This fee is all inclusive covering costs for food, fuel, and your fully trained skipper!

“Antlos is the best solution for all fans of boat holidays, a web platform that connects expert Skippers with tourists and travellers eager to experience life at the sea,” Giana, an employee with Antlos commented. She continued to say “the business model is inspired by the philosophy of sharing-economy, offering a real opportunity for users to start earning from the rental of their boat. Antlos makes boat holidays accessible to those who love the sea, but due to lack of experience and high costs have never managed to set the sails yet.”

Antlos is the perfect choice for your next vacation! We wish we could take some time off to go sailing on the European coast! Let us know what you think about this amazing startup company in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!

With the weekend quickly approaching, we did some digging to help you figure out how you should spend your time! As usual, there are a ton of fun events going on in the Bay Area! Let’s take a look at our favorites, and let us know where you’ll be!

SoMa StrEat Food Park and Funcheap SF have teamed up to bring you the 2nd annual Robin Williams mini film festival to celebrate and remember this comic genius. They will be showing 10+ hours of his movies from Ms. Doubtfire to Dead Poet’s Socitey. There will be 10 big screen TVs throughout the park and free popcorn. For a full list of movies and times click here.

Come out and enjoy 100+ local artists, makers, designers, food entrepreneurs, and antique/ vintage upcyclers at the 1st annual Off Broadway Summer Pop Up! There will be live music from local bands, DIY workshops, kids activities, community activities, plus food trucks and stands, a beer garden serving local brews, wines and spirits. It is fun for all ages and pet friendly.

Come celebrate the craft spirits movement at the Craft Spirit Carnival in the Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason. This two-day exclusive showcase will feature a grand selection of over 150 handcrafted ultra-premium spirits from around the world. There will also be Polynesian dancers and other entertainment thought the weekend that you don’t want to miss! To purchase tickets click here.

Put on your toga’s, Greek head pieces and running shoes because the Dionyseus Dash Wine 5K run through the beautiful vineyards of Hess Winery and Christian Borthers Vineyeard is this Sunday! There will be wine tasting and awards to follow. So grab a friend, get your tickets and enjoy a great morning of exercise and drinks.

If your looking to buy some accessories, body products, home décor, art or furniture made by locals, the Urban Air Market is the place for you! Featuring 100 local designers and artists at the intersection of Minnesota and 19th street this is a unique shopping experience that builds community. Then if you get hungry the San Francisco Street Food Festival is also taking place at Pier 70 — which is only a ten minute walk away!

Which events will you be attending? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter and Facebook!

Wedding invites can set the tone for your special day and get people excited about attending! They can be formal and classic or whimsical and unique. We’ve created a list of five unique invites that we love! At ABCey our favorite is the scratcher because it builds suspense, but tell us what you think!

1. Scratcher Invite

We all know the excitement of a lotto card, but this way your guest get to win their way into your wedding! Include a penny of the year you two met for a more personal touch!

2. Balloon Invite

Make your guests “inflate to save the date” with this balloon printed with wedding details! You can print in all different colors and if your guests have kids they will love the interaction this invite gives!

3. Puzzle Invite

Make your invite a bit of a game with this puzzle invite! Guests will have to piece their invite together before knowing all of the fun details of your special day!

4. Log Invite

This invite is especially good if your wedding has a bit more of a natural feel or is set outdoors. This invite is super easy and low budget but looks amazing!

5. Invite in a Can

This idea is definitely unique but can be so fun! Put your simple invite in a can and then seal. Guests will have to open up the can to get to the invite, and you can also add fun decor or objects inside to get guests even more excited!

Looking to have a rustic wedding, but don’t want to break the bank? ABCey has compiled 5 great DIY wood pallet ideas fit for a wedding! We love wood pallets because they can be crafted and used in so many different ways, from seating to signage.

1. Event Design

Pallets can be used as a main element of your event design! Set the stage using them as part of your opening ceremony, a backdrop or even a chandelier.

2. Lounge seating

Extra seating at weddings is always a good idea! Build your own benches or couches using wood pallets. Get out those power tools and click here for instructions!

3. Décor

Use pallets as a photo display or even place flowers among them for decoration! Easily hang, drape or pin pictures in the different sections for everyone to admire.

4. Signage

Pallets make for beautiful signs. Paint, stain or cut them however your like. You can write your favorite quotes or give your guests instructions. They are fun to make and look great!

5. Menu

Instead of printing out hundreds of menus for each guest, paint it onto a pallet nice and big. Everyone will be able to see it and it saves the environment!

Will you be doing one of the DIY pallet projects for your wedding? Let us know with a comment or message us on Facebook or Twitter!

Are you ready for Outside Lands this weekend?! Whether it’s your first or fourth time attending, there’s lots to do and see! Navigating the festival is no walk in the park. ABCey has your local’s guide to make sure your experience is stress free!

1. Know Your Lineup and Schedule

This year there is more than ever to do! Make sure you know the line up and schedule of events! You definitely don’t want to miss something because you didn’t do your research. Get the Outside Lands App to help with all your planning. You can build your own schedule with all your personal picks and the app has everything in one place from food, event times and updates making it easy and convenient!

2. Ride your bike

There are a variety of ways to get to the festival. Drive, Uber, Muni or a 3-day shuttle pass! We suggest to bike for the best and easiest way to get there! You can valet your bike at the festival and if you park between 10am and 8pm they’ll even hook you up with a free bike wash! Don’t forget to bring your own lock!

4. Beer and Wine Lands

Since you can’t bring in your own alcohol, The Wine and Beer Lands are your alcohol stops! Both are stacked with fantastic options. Beer Lands will feature amazing local brewers like Anchor and Sierra Nevada and incredible micro-brewers that you should definitely try as well! Overall, there will be a staggering 32 breweries!

This year Wine Lands (37 winemakers, 120 +wines) has a new home in Lindley Meadow and will be going completely cashless! Your wristband is your festival ticket and your digital wallet at Wine Lands. Find out how to create your cashless account and get your ‘Bison Bucks’ here.

5. Be Awed by Some Art

There are many reasons why Outside Lands is a festival unlike any other, but a big one is the art! With outside art, from artists like Amanda Lynn and Jeben Berg, live painting by Sam Flores and Zio Ziegler +friends and Dr. Flotsam’s Hell Brew Revue, you are sure to be stunned by some amazing masterpieces.

6. Watch Master Chefs do Gastromagic

The festival’s culinary entertainment is promising even more outlandish food stuntsthis year! Gastromagic is the celebration of culinary wonderment and the home for innovation around all things possible for food, drink, music magic and more. We can’t wait for Morimoto Karaoke, where Iron Chef Morimoto will be rolling sushi while singing Karaoke! For the full Gastromagic schedule click here!

8. Experience the City with Night Shows

In case you can’t get enough at the festival, there will be night shows around the city as well! We are can’t wait for “The Notorious Wilco Brother” on August 6th. Few details have been released, but we know what every member of the indie rock band Wilco will be there. For a full list of performances, locations and to buy tickets click here!

Final reminders:

1.Phone charging: Don’t worry about how to charge your phone, The Recharge Spot powered by Paypal has got you covered. They are stocked with a variety of phone chargers and you can even play a game for awesome prizes, get your face painted and more while you wait!

2. What to wear: Wear layers because one moment it can be warm and sunny, then winds gust and then next moment its foggy and cold. The weather changes quickly so be prepared! You can rent a locker to keep your things stored if you wish!

3. Cans/ Can’ts: Finally remember that you can’t bring in any alcohol, chairs, professional still cameras or hard coolers. Blankets, empty camelbacks or other plastic containers and selfie sticks are a go. Here is a full list of can and can’ts.

Can’t make it this year? Don’t worry! This year Outside Lands will also be live streaming. We hope you have an amazing time at Outside Lands! Let us know what you’re most excited for in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!